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Author
Topic: Personal Results Update (Read 5259 times)

Just to keep folks up to date with my result, since I have leveraged them in the past.

My last blood test showed and increase of my CD4 level to the 70k area and my CD4 dropping back to where I began after diagnosis at 414 with CD4 at 26%

That was a bit disappointing considering the jump in CD4 I had on my prior test. I get tested about twice a year, although I am now going on a every 3 month program as we are watching VL carefully.

Focus on my care is on my current Liver Counts which are elevated due to a condition cited as fatty liver. Since I may have to on treatment after any next blood test, and I have been living with this for several years, it is important i get my liver counts down. Essentially, I really do need to lose weight.

Since the elevation effects of the Green Tea seem to have been abated. I am taking a break from Green Tea and restoring Astragalus to my formulation. I expect to be alternating between Astragalus and Green tea monthly. And I have increased my physical activity considerably, finally getting off my butt and back on the road on my bike. The impact of the exercise has been immediate with my energy level and general well being improving dramatically.

So I'm continuing with my supplement program with the adjustment noted. Working on Losing at least 20 lbs by my Sept testing. And getting back to a hard exercise program.

Doest this change my view of supplements? While I would have like to seen stability in the High 400's after 1 year of adding Green Tea, the real focus I have and my doctor right now is the VL. I never thought much for supplements to control VL. So, I'm essentially resigned to living with increasing VL and sooner than later Medications. I will continue to use supplements in attempting to keep my CD4 as high as possible, adding a cycle of Astragalus and Green Tea supplements. I must also get my liver ready for meds, so the wieght loss and exercise are key as well.

Risred.....I thought I'd just pop in to say: CD4 numbers can fluctuate GREATLY . There is no such thing as a nice progression and stabilization of CD4 counts. As an LTNP, I have never been on meds and over the 20 years of being HIV positive my CD4 counts have gone from 550 to 800 to 1200 back to 550 up to 900 back to 600 and they do that all the time, with HUNDREDS of points difference each time I have bloodwork done. You only have THREE sets of bloodwork. The difference between 414 and 484 is minimal, it means very little.02/07 CD4 404 - 27% - VL 15k10/07 CD4 484 - 31% - VL 45k05/08 CD4 414 - 26% - VL 70k Look at your percentages!

I should have been doing a better job at my of blood tests. While I only show three, I have been tested more frequently prior to my first recollection of my CD4 and VL results.

I do understand that CD4 can fluctuate as you have noted. However, my CD4 have been very steady and declining a few points between tests. I was on a three month testing program per my doctors recommendation as we were expecting me to continue to drop to 350 2 years ago.

That is why there was some surprise to see my CD4 jump up and my doctor shared that opinion. His attitude is folks set a pattern and that who they are and generally there is a consistency for that person.

You have been living, and congratulations, with a fluctuating cd4 and your performing to that expectation. And my tests really were trending consistently. So my doc was happy about my cd4 still being somewhere close to where I was diagnosed, but is expressing concern about my VL, although he expressed that within the realm of VL, my wasn't so horribly bad, just that once again, the trend has been set.

But thank you for the encouragement. I'm doing good. I feel pretty good, and I'm going to keep working at it. If my VL doesn't reverse or stabilize, my number one priority is getting my liver in better shape. So I have to drop the excess weight. So when I go on meds, I'll metabolize them and process them hopefully as expected.

Note that despite my steadily increasing viral load i am not experiencing a drop in absolute cd4 that is the norm while undergoing a treatment interuption.Also even though my cd4% is at its lowest level my absolute cd4 is relatively unchanged.I keep looking at the numbers and expecting to end the treatment break because this is the lowest my cd4% has ever been but yet this is the healthiest i have ever felt.For me this is really a catch 22 situation.I keep looking at the possibility that this particular set of immune markers might only represent part of the total functionality of the immune system.I have also tried going totally off of the supplements but after 2 weeks off i start to experience a decline in absolute cd4 counts.I then go back on supplements and experience a return of absolute cd4 into the 400 range.